Contents

Synopsis

"Every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if you found out they actually were? “Marvel’s Runaways” is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe–their parents."[1]

Cast and characters

Gregg Sulkin as Chase Stein is a lacrosse-playing, high school heartthrob. While many write him off as a dumb jock, Chase exhibits flashes of untapped brilliance in engineering, not unlike his wildly successful father’s.[2]

Lyrica Okano as Nico Minoru is tough, intelligent, and independent–embodies teenage angst. A budding “Wiccan,” Nico’s carefully crafted goth appearance isolates her from her peers and family, but maybe what she really needs is someone to talk to.[3]

Rhenzy Felix as Alex Wilder is a loud-and-proud nerd. Admittedly a bit of a loner, Alex spends much of his free-time playing video games, but deep down, what he wants most is to reunite his childhood group of friends.[4]

Virginia Gardner as Karolina Dean, model-perfect exterior with a lot going on behind her professionally whitened smile, is burdened by the lofty expectations and responsibilities put upon her by her parents. Underneath her veneer of privilege and perfection, Karolina is experiencing a newfound eagerness to explore her identity and pursue her own desires.[5]

Ariela Barer as Gert Yorkes is a purple-haired, bespectacled, contemporary riot grrrl. Never passing up a moment to stand on a soapbox, Gert sometimes wields her persona as a brash social justice warrior to mask her true feelings.[6]

Allegra Acosta as Molly Hernandez, the youngest and most innocent member of her friend group, is known for her peppy positivity and a deep yearning to belong.[7]

The Pride:

Ryan Sands as Geoffrey Wilder, is a man defined by the grueling path he’s taken to achieve his self-made success. A hulking presence, Geoffrey can effortlessly shift from approachable father to intimidating strategist with his son Alex.[8]

Angel Parker as Catherine Wilder, a successful lawyer, is deliberate and calculating in both her words and actions. But when it comes to her family, she’s fiercely loyal and a loving mother to her son Alex.[9]

James Yaegashi as Robert Minoru, a gentle and brilliant beta, the Woz to his wife’s Jobs. Warm and feeling, Robert sometimes struggles with being married to a woman who so forcefully barricades her emotions while caring about Nico.[11]

Kevin Weisman as Dale Yorkes, a beardy, dad-core bioengineer. Incredibly science-minded, he has a deep love for his family but oftentimes falls short at knowing the right things to say to Gert.[12]

Brigid Brannagh as Stacey Yorkes, an absent-minded and professorial bioengineer. Perpetually dawning Birkenstocks and a messy bun, Stacey utilizes a progressive approach to her parenting style to Gert.[13]

Annie Wersching as Leslie Dean, a complicated beauty, is a poised and skilled leader. Clear-minded, focused, and charismatic, Leslie draws in devoted allies and followers who are taken by her success and charm, particularly with her daughter Karolina.[14]

Kip Pardue as Frank Dean, a former teen star who rode a short-lived movie career and is now teeming with insecurity. Floundering in his professional career as an actor, Frank is seeking to renew purpose in his life while being a father to Karolina.[15]

James Marsters as Victor Stein, an engineering genius who may just save the word from itself. Electric cars, space travel; the military and NASA both look to him for answers. As a father to Chase, Victor has lofty expectations for his son, and when they aren’t met, his retribution can be fierce.[16]

Ever Carradine as Janet Stein, a perfect PTA mom. Harboring a brilliant mind of her own, she has made deep sacrifices for her husband’s world-changing career. Though she hides it for the wellbeing of her son Chase, Janet longs for more from her life.[17]

Production

Brian K. Vaughan was hired to write a screenplay for Marvel Studios in May 2008, based on his comic creation the Runaways. In April 2010, Marvel hired Peter Sollett to direct the film, and a month later Drew Pearce signed on to write a new script.[19]
Development on the film was put on hold the following October, and Pearce explained in September 2013 that the Runaways film had been shelved due to the success of The Avengers; the earliest the film could be made was for Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In October 2014, after announcing Marvel's Phase Three films without Runaways, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said the project was "still an awesome script that exists in our script vault... In our television and future film discussions, it's always one that we talk about, because we have a solid draft there. But we can't make them all."[20]

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, whose company Fake Empire Productions had an overall deal with ABC Studios had spent a year conversing with Marvel Television (also based at ABC) about turning Runaways into a television series. That month, Marvel's Runaways was announced from Marvel Television, ABC Signature Studios, and Fake Empire Productions, with the streaming service Hulu ordering a pilot episode and scripts for a full season. Hulu was believed to already have "an eye toward a full-season greenlight." Schwartz and Savage wrote the pilot, and serve as showrunners on the series, as well as executive producers alongside Jeph Loeb and Jim Chory. Fake Empire's Lis Rowinski produces the series, and Vaughan serves as an executive consultant.[21]

Casting

Jeph Loeb, executive producer and head of Marvel Television, said of the cast that “the fun and chemistry that this group of talented actors create is wonderful and we’re so excited to bring these beloved characters to life,”[22]

Runaways comic co-creator and series executive consultant Brian K. Vaughn added, “I’m so excited for fans of the comic to watch this perfect cast of amazing actors, all of whom embody the spirit of their characters more than I ever could have imagined.”[23]

“We have had a total blast bringing Brian and Adrian’s amazing story to life. We’re so happy they love the Runaways we’ve assembled as much as we do,” added executive producers/showrunners Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.[24]